Ranchi, February 27 BJP MLA Devendra Kunwar on Friday demanded a high-level investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of land in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand.
The legislator alleged that Bangladeshi infiltrators were encroaching on tribal land in the region in violation of the Santhal Parganas Tenancy (SPT) Act of 1949.
"After Sahibganj and Pakur districts in Santhal Pargana, Bangladeshi infiltrators are now entering the Dumka district, which is a matter of serious concern," Kunwar said.
In response, Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Deepak Birua said that Section 42 of the SPT Act provides for the eviction of illegal possessors or encroachers from the transferred land and the restoration of the land to the original owner.
"Strict compliance with the above-mentioned sections is being enforced by all the districts under Santhal Pargana," the minister said.
Birua urged the legislator to provide specific cases of illegal land transfer and assured him that action would be taken against encroachers.
The Act is designed to protect tribal land rights by prohibiting or restricting the transfer of land to non-tribals in the Santhal Pargana region.
The House witnessed uproar after CPI(ML) Liberation MLA Arup Chatterjee demanded that Health Minister Irfan Ansari present the report of the investigation into five children who tested positive for HIV after blood transfusion in Chaibasa.
Responding to Chatterjee, Ansari said that the investigation is underway and the report will soon be released.
BJP MLAs alleged that the government was not taking the issue seriously, leading to uproar in the House.
"Six months have passed, but the investigation has not been completed. I demand that the report be presented in the House during the ongoing session," Chatterjee said.
MLA Chandradeo Mahto raised the issue of the shortage of bio-medical waste treatment plants in the state.
Responding to Mahto, the health minister said that six treatment plants are in operation in six districts and such plants will also be installed in hospitals in the near future.
MLA Prakash Ram alleged that tribal people are being displaced in Tapkhas and Chandandih in Latehar district in the name of anti-encroachment drives.
Taking part in the discussion, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Babulal Marandi, said he has no objection to the removal of the encroachers, "but if they are landless persons, the government should make arrangements for their rehabilitation".
Responding to Marandi, state minister Deepak Birua said he would seek a report in this regard from the Latehar DC.
After the lunch break, the House assembled for discussion on the demand for grants for the Rural Development Department.
Taking part in the discussion, BJP MLA Neera Yadav said the ruling alliance often accuses the Centre of not providing grants to the state.
"If the state government does not submit utilization certificates, how will it receive grants? According to the data available with me, the state has not submitted over 47,367 utilization certificates to the Centre," he said.
The BJP MLA urged the government to provide details of funds pending with the Centre for each department.
"If the details are provided, we can approach the Centre over the matter," she said.
Responding to Yadav, state minister Yogendra Prasad said that around Rs 6,260 crore of funds from the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department is pending with the Centre since the 2024-25 fiscal.
Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh alleged that the state government was not receiving central funds for wages under MGNREGA (now VB G RAM-G).
She said that 1.9 lakh houses have been constructed in the state under the Abua Awas scheme.
Later, the grant demand of Rs 12,346 crore for the Rural Development Department was passed by voice vote.
The House was adjourned till 11 am on March 9 by Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato.
